Air-purifier.



N0 MDEL.

PATENTED APR. 19, v1904;.

J. ST. l.v MAGARDLE.

AIR PURIPIBR.

APPLIUATIGN HLnnNov. 2, 1903.

5 snsnsQsHnnT 1.

No. 757,475. PATENTED APR. 19, 1904. l J.` ST. P. MAGARDLE.

AIR PURIPIER.

APPLIUATION 11.31) Nov. 2. 1903. No mmm.. 5 SHEETS-.SHEET z.

2 ad flug ll\ illlill llilllllnli.

Illxnllllll Ill.

fMf/M,

PMBNTED APB.

'5. sT. P. MAGARDLE. AIR PURIPIBR.

APPLIULTION FILED NGV. 2, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET v3. l

N0 MODEL.

wzesses.

PATENTED APB.. 19, 1904.

J. ST. P. MAGARDLE.

AIR PURIPIER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No MODEL.

*nis Noam: warms cu. Maorauwafwnmum o. c.

Nu. 757,475. l PATENTED A177719, 1904.

J. ST. RMAGARDLE.

AIR PURIEIBR.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 2, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

N0 MODEL.

'5gg 23, 53 fn/? jfzesses.

.www

n ls Ps1-:ns co.. wouwo., wAsHmcTou. n, c.

No. veniva y 'NTTED STATES 'Patentea April 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

Al-s-PURIFIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,475, dated April19, 1904;

Application filed November 1903. Serial No. 179,580. '(No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom, t mug/concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Sr. PATRICK MACd ARDLE, gentleman, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain and Ireland, residingpat Oambricville,Dundalk, county Louth, Ireland, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Air-Purifiers, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the purificationof air supplied to breweries, maltings, hospitals, theaters, and otherplaces and in connection with brewing.

It has principally for object to prevent the development of wild andsecondary yea-sts and bacterial contamination (whether the bacteria beundeveloped or developed) in the brewing of such liquors as, forinstance, ale and porter.

The chief cause accounting for the development of foreign yeasts ororganisms in beer (commonly termed wild and diseased species) may becredited not only to the overeX- posure of cooler wort to the atmosphereat dangerous temperatures-that is, to an atmosphere exceedingly variablein conditionbut also to the modern plan of running this wort in the formof fine lms over refrigerators and to the system of repeatedlyreplanting an infected store-yeast in collected wort, so that the wildand other species steadily7 become widely spread and increasinglydeveloped. Now I have discovered that it is possible to entirelyTprevent the appearance and development of either secondaryT types ofyeast or bacteria or their germs, and thus to keep the store-yeast ofthe brewing to a standard of true (as distinct from commercial) purityby utilizing perfectly pure or sterilized air in or in contact with thehop-back, cooling, refrigerating, and yeast storage rooms and, finallyand preferably, also in the actual fermenting department` It istherefore of the greatest importance to keep the air of the brewery andother buildings as pure as possible, or at least the air which can comeinto contact with the yeast, wort, and beer, and for this reason meansare provided for filtering all the air which passes into the buildingscontaining, say, the hop-back, the cooler, the refrigerator, thefermenting-tuns, and the yeast-storage, or if the cubic contents of thebuildings be too great to be kept supplied with Apure or sterilized airit follows that pure air may be supplied to the various apparatus or thechambers containing them. The air, which is first filtered or purified,is forced or drawn into the building by means of a fan or otherwise.IIhe fan is driven at a great speed by an engine or motor of any kind,which fan draws or forces air through a filter consisting of a number offrames covered or packed with cotton-wool or other suitable material,which give a very large surface for the air, and consequently the powerrequired to drive the fan is relatively small. All the air entering thebuilding or the several departments or apparatus mentioned passesthrough the fllter, 'and the excess of air escapes or passes awaythrough louvers, valves, or ventilators, which may be more or lessclosed, so that there is a greater pressure of air in `the building orbuildings than outside.

As applied to buildings generally the proper and effective filtration ofthe air supplied pre-A vents the admission of harmful germs and otherorganisms.

'Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates, more or lessdiagrammatically, in sectional elevation a brewery provided with meansfor filtering or .purifying the air constructed according to thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section,of a modified form of filter. Fig. 3 is a plan thereof with one of thecovers removed. Fig. 4 is a transverse section, and Fig. 5 is a detailin sectional elevation, of a frame to an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is asectional elevation of a filter in which the joints between the coverand the casing and between the filterframes and the partition are madeby improved means as compared withv the ordinary bolts and nuts. Fig. 7isa plan with the filter-frames removed; andV Fig. 8 is a verticalsection on the line 8 8, Fig. 7.

Referringto Fig. 1, the fan a, driven by the engine or motor 6, ismounted in a skeleton box or case c, provided with a covering ofcotton-Wool d, which acts asa strainer and` stops the dirt and manyother impurities from entering the fan-case c. rIhe delivery-pipe c ofthe fan is connected to a large inclosed IOO the purified air passesinto the latter.

-z they are covered or packed with cottonwool, so that air passes fromthe compartment g through the filters c into the compartment 7b. In thechamber c' there is also anumber of other filters, Z, and the latterare,` like that marked 7c, open above to the chamber Z and covered orpacked with cotton-wool,

where they project into the chamber ZL. The filters Z, (of which onlyone is shown,) forming the second group of filters, are so mounted thatair passes through them from their exteriors into their interiors, whichare in connection with the third compartment z'. This third compartmentis connected by an outlet or pipe m with the interior of the building,and rl`he casing f is suitably provided with air-tight covers 2 and 3for the removal and replacement of the filters k and Z, and the latterare suitably provided with fianges and packing, so as to make air-tightjoints when bolted into place in the slots in the bottoms of thecompartments g and Z. In the example shown the purified air passes intothe chamber containing the hop-back u by the outlet 0. The pipe m passesup as far as the refrigeratorroom p, containing the cooler q andrefrigerators 7, where it supplies the purified air. The pipe m also mayhave outlets to all the other rooms in the building where purified airis advisable-such as to the room s, containing the mash-tuus t, thechamber u, containing the fermenting vessels o, and the room w,containing the yeast-store fr; but in practice it is suflicient if thefiltered-air pipe m hasan outlet y to the fermenting-room u and a pipe 2passing into the interior of the yeast-store, fromv which excess of airmay pass away by a valve or ventilator 1, which lifts or opens when acertain pressure of air is obtained, but which prevents the ingress ofunpurified air, the yeast passing from the fermenting vessel c to theyeast-store by means of a funnel 6, the spout or pipe 7 of which passesthrough a stufng-box 8 in the fermenting Vessel and a stuffing-box 9'inthe cover of the yeast-store fr, which funnel is provided with a rod 10,which permits the funnel to be raised or lowered, the rod beingvsuitably guided and held by friction or other means at any height in abracket 11. The yeast-store is also suitably provided with a peep holeor window 16 for ascertaining the level of the contents.

In order to prevent the ingress of air through the doors or entrances tothe building, there is a sort of air-lock at each entrance Ventirelyclosed in, and double doors 4 and 5 are suit-- ably provided which may,if desired, be so arranged by connecting mechanism of any suitableconstruction that it is impossible for both doors to be open at the sametime.

The excess of air escapes by means of ventilators or louvers or flapvalves, such as those marked 12 and 13, in the refrigeratorrooms andfermenting-rooms, respectively, and a certain amount is sure to escapethrough the doors and elsewhere. p

The construction of filter shown in detail in Figs. 21.3, 4, and 5 isvery similar 'to that described with reference to Fig. 1, except that ithas three sets or groups of filters andthe first group 14 serves as apreliminary lter or strainer for the air whichpasses direct from outsidethe building to the fan g and from the fan to the second group offilters it', thence the air passing to the third group Z, and finallyafter passing through them escapes by the discharge-opening 15 past thevalve 16, which is to prevent the ingress of air and dirt to the filtersif the fan should not berunning. Fig. 5 illustrates a convenient way ofmaking these filters, and from that figure particularly it will be seenthat, as aforesaid, the filter-frames are mounted on flanges 17, havingholes in same, to which flanges are riveted the inside skeleton or openframes 18, which are closed at the bottom and sides by the plates 19riveted thereto. Outside of the inner frames 18 are bolted outer open orskeleton frames 20, leaving a space in between. rlhe inside of the outerframes 2O and the outside of the inner frames 18 are provided (seealsoFig. 4) with sheets of wire netting or gauze, (marked 2l and 22,respectively,) and the cotton, wool, or otherrfiltering materialoccupies the intermediate space'. All the filter-frames are bolted tothe slotted partition 23, and the casing is, as in the previous example,provided with air-tight covers 27 and 28, Fig. 2, so as to allow ofremoval for examination or renewal of the filters. The filter-casing issuitably provided with a safety or relief valve 24 for relieving thepressure asvsoon as the valve 16 has been closed and just before the fanis stopped, a pressure-gage 25, Fig. 2, for ascertaining the pressure ofair at the delivery end of the casing, and a cock 26 for permitting ofdrawing off air to test its purity. The fan g delivers air through itsdischarge-trunk 29 to the chamber 30. The air passes through the filters14 from the outside to the inside and thence to the chamber 31. From thelatter the air passes from the inside to the outside of the filters intothe chamber 32 and from the outside to the inside of the filters Z tothe chamber 33 and thence to the discharge-trunk 15 into the building orby pipes to certain of the rooms therein. Hot air or steam or cold airmay be supplied IOO to the filter by' a jacket surrounding the casing,or there may be a pipe or coil 34 inside for that purpose. The filtersmay also, if desired, be purified or sterilized by means of a perforatedsteam pipe or coil 35.

Referring to Fig. 6, the casing fof the lilter is provided with a gutter4l all round the top, and the cover 27 is provided lwith a spigotlikerim or flange 42, which takes into the said gutter 4l; The cover 27 isheld in place by two or more studs and nuts 43 or by clamps of anyapproved construction; but an airtight joint is made by runningquicksilver or other liquid of a high speciic gravity into -the saidgutter 41 by means, for example, of

a funnel 44, preferably provided with a cock 45 and a bent pipe 46, orthe funnel may be connected to the cover and the lower end or pipethereof may pass through the cover, and thus communicate with thegutter. In order to prevent the mercury from splashing over out of thegutter when removing or replacing the cover, the gutter has preferablyan exit-pipe 47, .provided with a cock 48, and the mercury is theneither drawn off and allowed to fall into a bottle or other receptacleready to be poured into the funnel again, when the cover is replaced, orthe exitpipe 47 may communicate with a cylinder 39, provided with apiston 50, mounted on a bracket 51 or elsewhere, so that when the piston50 is raised and the cock 48 opened the mercury passes into thecylinder, leaving the gutter 31 empty, whereupon the cover may beremoved without danger of losing any of the mercury. When the cover hasbeeen replaced, lthe piston 50 is forced down and the mercury is causedto iow from the cylinder 49 up through the pipe 47 into the gutter 41until it surrounds the ange 32 and more or less fills the gutter 4l.

The lter-frames 18 20, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are also providedwith ianges 52 similar to those already described and marked 42, and thesaid ianges 52 dip into gutters 53, secured to or made in one within theslotted partition 23, which gutters are, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8,connected by pipes 54, 55, 56, and 57 (one for each gutter) to aninclosed receptacle 58, having a cock 59 and a funnel 60, or thereceptacle may also be connected by a cock 61 and pipe 62 to a cylinder63, having a piston64, the action of which is as described withreference to the cylinder 49 in Fig. 6.

brewery, it is evident that the apparatus for filtering may4 be employedequally well for the purification of air to be supplied to hos pitals,churches, theaters, and other large buildings or places.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Apparatus for filtering and purifying air comprising a casing dividedinto compartments, hollow filtering elements in each compartment, meansto force the air in one direction through the elements in onecompartment and through the elements in the neXt compartment in anotherdirection, substantially as set forth.

2. Apparatus for iiltering or purifying air supplied to a brewery orother building comprising a fan, a casing divided into compartments, ahorizontal partition having a number of slots, a number of open orskeleton inner frames, a number of open or skeleton outer frames,filtering material intermediate the outer and inner frames and flangesattached to the said frames, said flanges being adapted to be attachedto the said partition so that the interiors of the filter-frames areopen to one compartment in the casing and the exteriors of the saidfilter-frames are within another compartment in the casing substantiallyas described andshown;

3. 'Apparatus for filtering or purifying air supplied to a brewery orother building comprising a fan, a casing divided into compartments, ahorizontal partition having a plurality of slots, a gutter surroundingeach of the said slots, filled with liquid, lter-frames consisting of aplurality of open or skeleton outer Vframes, a plurality of open orskeleton inner frames,ltering material intermediate the said outer andinner frames and a vertical flange surrounding each filter-frame adaptedto dip into the said gutters and to make a seal, a cover for the saidcasing, means for xing the said filter-frames to the partition in suchmanner that the interiors of the filter-frames are open to onecompartment in the casing and the exteriors of the said filter-framesare within another compartment and means for xing the said cover to thecasing substantially as set forth.

4. Apparatus for filtering or purifying air supplied to a brewery orother building comprising a fan, a casing divided into fourcompartments, a horizontal partition dividing the two upper from the twolower compartments the first compartment being in connection with thefan and the last compartment opening to the place to be supplied lwithpurified air, a plurality of slots in said partition, a guttersurrounding each of the said slots filled with liquid to form a seal agutter surrounding the top of the said casing and containing liquid,filter-frames so arranged that the interiors of the said frames are opento one compartment in the casing and the exteriors thereofare IOO withinanother compartment in the casing such frames consisting of a pluralityof open or skeleton outer frames, a plurality of open or skeleton innerframes, filtering material inter! mediate the said outer and innerframes and a vertical fiange surrounding each filter-frame adapted todip into the said gutters surrounding the said slots and to make a seal,means for fixing' the said filter-frames to the' partition,a pipe orcoil for supplying hot air or steam or cold air, a perforated pipe orcoil for supplying steam for sterilizing purposes, a cover for the saidcasing, a vertical flange depending from the said cover and adapted toform a seal with the liquid in the gutter surrounding the casing andmeans for securing the cover to the casing substantially as set forth.

5. Apparatus for filtering or purifying air supplied to a brewery orother building comprising a fan, a casing divided into fourcompartments, a horizontal partition dividing the two upper from the twolower compartments, the first compartmentbeing in connection with thefan and the last compartment opening to the place to be supplied withpurified air, a valve to close said opening when the fan is not working,a gutter surrounding the top of the said casing and containing liquid, aplurality of slots in said partition, a gutter surrounding each of thesaid slots and containing liquid, filter-frames so arranged that theirinteriors are open to one compartment and their exteriors are Withinanother compartment in the said casing, such frames consisting of aplurality of open or skeleton outer frames, a plurality of open orskeleton inner frames, filtering material intermediate the said outerand inner frames and a vertical flange surrounding each filter-frameadapted to dip into the said gutters surrounding the slots and to make aseal, means for fixing the said filter-frames tov the partition, a pipeor coil for supplying hot air or steam or cold air, a perforated pipe orcoil for supplying steam for sterilizing purposes, a cover for the saideasing a vertical fiange depending from the said cover and adapted toform a seal with the liquid in the gutter surrounding the casing andmeans for securing the cover to the casing substantially as set forth.

6. Apparatus for filtering and purifying air comprising a casing dividedinto compartments, a plurality of hollow fibrous filtering' elements ineach compartment, means to force air through the compartments and hollowelements froin the exterior to the interior of the elements in onecompartment and the interior to the exterior of the elements in the nextcompartment alternately, substantially as set forth.

7 Apparatus for filtering and purifying air comprising a casing dividedinto compartments, a set of hollow fibrous filtering elements in thecompartments, means to force air in one direction through the elementsin one compartment and in an opposite direction through the elements inanother compartment, and means in one or more of the compartments tosterilize the air as it passes from one set of hollow elements toanother, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN sr. PATRICK MACARDLE.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. SKERTEN, W. J. NoRwooD.

